Package lifting tongs



April 11, 1950 J. F. BARIBAULT PACKAGE LIFTING TONGS Filed Dec. 25, 1947 WW W u w 01 m m 5 \k w W U Patented Apr. 11, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

The present invention relates in general to lifting devices and more especially to tongs for handing down packages, bottles, and similar articles stored on high shelves or other elevated places beyond the reach of an ordinary person.

An object of the invention is to provide superior tongs characterized by relatively-simple and durable construction and embodying a minimum number of elements adapted to be assembled in cooperative relationship without recourse to machining, screw-threading, and similar relatively-expensive manufacturing operations.

A further object of the invention is to provide superior tongs having gripping-elements sheathed in resilient sleeves and a tubular shaft provided at its lower end with an operatinghandle designed to provide a smooth streamlined construction devoid of lateral projections and circumferential enlargements.

With the above and other objects in view, as will appear to those skilled in the art from the present disclosure, this invention includes all features in the said disclosure which are novel over the prior art.

In the accompanying drawings, in which certain modes of carrying out the present invention are shown for illustrative purposes:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the improved package-lifting tongs of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan View of the tongs of Fig. 1 showing the jaws in their closed position;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary elevation of the lower end of the tongs, including the operating-handle on section-line 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an end elevation on section-line 4-4 of Fig. l; and

Fig. 5 is an end elevation on section-line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

An exemplary embodiment of the invention is shown in the drawings, in which the shaft of the tongs is designated at H] and comprises a metal tube, preferably aluminum or similar lightweight material, of substantially-uniform internal and external diameters and of a length suitable for the purposes for which the tongs are designed.

laterally and then inwardly to form article-em.-

circling arms adapted to close around a can or similar cylindrical object, the outer inwardlydirected portions l1 and I8 respectively of the jaws serving to cam an article inwardly toward the inner ends thereof. The outer extremity of each jaw is provided with a forwardly-projecting straight section [9 and 20 respectively to facilitate lifting articles of rectilinear shape. Moreover, the jaws are adapted to lie in a common plane at substantially right angles to the longitudinal axis of the shaft Ill. In the preferred construction, each jaw is provided with a resilient anti-slip sleeve 2| and 22 respectively which comprises a short length of rubber tubing fitted tightly thereover. It will be understood, however, that any other suitable anti-slip material may be used.

The gripping-elements II and I2 are adapted to be mounted in the upper end of the shaft l0 and to this end, two substantially-diametricallyopposite indentations or creases 23 and 24 are formed in the latter, each of which extends substantially longitudinally from the open upper end of the shaft downwardly for a length corresponding substantially to the length of the shank-portions of the gripping-elements I l and 12, thereby to form a pair of spaced-parallel substantiallycylindrical restrictions 25 and 26 in the upper end of the shaft for supporting the shanks l3 and M of the respective jaws, as indicated clearly in Figs. 4 and 5. The gripping-element H is adapted to be fixedly secured to the upper end of the shaft, and to this end its shank I3 is fastened in its respective restriction 25 by fastening-means comprising a pin or rivet 21 extended transversely through the cylindrical restriction 25 and the shank l3 of the gripping-element H. The gripping-element I2 is adapted to be pivotally mounted in the upper end of the shaft so as to be movable into and from cooperative relationship with the fixed gripping-element II, and to this end its shank I4 is rotatable in its cylindrical restriction or hearing 26, and is formed with an integral reach 28 which extends downwardly freely in the tubular shaft beyond the lower end thereof where it is adapted to be secured to the operating-handle of the tongs, as hereinafter described. Since the shank I4 is movable freely in its cylindrical bearing 26 and since it is necessary for satisfactory operation that the jaw l2 remain in substantially the plane of the corresponding jaw ll, suitable means is provided to prevent the shank I4 from moving longitudinally in its bearing. Referring especially to Figs. 1 and 3, the substantially-rightis mounted on the lower end of the shaft and held from moving upwardly thereon by suitable stop-means hereinafter described.

The operating-handle is indicated at 30 and comprises a tubular member or sleeve, the upper portion 3! of which is of substantially-uniform external diameter and has an internal diameter substantially equal to the external diameter of the lower end of the shaft [0 so as to make a relatively-snug-but-freely-rotatabler fit thereon.

The lower portion 32 of its length extends downwardly below the lower end of the shaft [0 andis adapted to form the handgrip area thereof, and to this end is pinchedtogether along two diametrically-opposite longitudinally-extending indentations 33 and 3d respectively to form a pair ofsubstantially-cylindrical restrictions, one of which, as indicated at 35, is adapted to receive the lower end of the reach 28. A rivet 36 or equivalent fastening-means is provided which extends transversely throughthe restriction 35 and the lower end of the reach for securing the two to gether.

Referring especially to Fig. 3, it will berclear that in forming the diametrically-opposite longitudinal indentations 33 and 34 in opposite sides respectively of the sleeve-like operating-handle Bil-below the lower end of the shaft H], the inner walls of this portion of the handle converge and the indentations, in particular, form shoulders 31 and 38 respectively, hereinafter referred to as stop-means, immediately below the lower end of the shaft I0. These shoulders effectively prevent the handle from being moved upwardly. longitudinally on the shaft, and inasmuch as the reach 28 of the second jaw isfastenedto the operating-handle by the aforementioned rivet 35, the reach and its jaw it are similarly held from moving upwardly longitudinally: within the shaft;

It will be appreciated that the tongs are adapted to be operated by grasping the shaft- It] in one hand intermediate its opposite ends and the operating-handle 38 in the other hand, andturning the latter on the shaft, whereupon the pivotal jaw 15 isadapted to swing into and from cooperative engagementwith the-fixed jaw l5 for engaging and. lifting packages, jars, and the-like, from a high shelf.

The tongs are of unusually simple construction embodying the five principal elements, all: ofwhich are readil obtainable; and adapted for quick assembly without requiring expensive machining operations or assembling-jigs. Moreover, the tongs are extremely simple to operate,- havea smooth streamlined construction of pleasing,appearance, and free from lateral projections. or other obstructions and disfigurements.

The invention may be, carried out in other specific ways than those herein set forth without departing from the spirit and essential characteristics of the invention, and thepresent embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all ,.re-

spects as illustrative and not restrictive, and all tubular shaft having a pair of restrictions formed in the upper end thereof; a jaw fixedly secured in one restriction; a second jaw rotatably mounted in the second restriction, the second jaw having a reach extending downwardly to the lower end of said shaft; operating-means for moving said second jaw into and from cooperative relationship with said fixed jaw comprising a sleeve rotatably mounted on the lower end of said shaft, and an element arranged to secure said sleeve to the lower end of said reach; and stop-means comprising a shoulder on said reach arranged to cooperatively engage the said second restriction to hold the rotatable jaw from moving downwardly in said shaft and a shoulder on said sleeve arranged to cooperatively engage the lower end of said shaft to hold the rotatable jaw from moving upwardly in said shaft.

2. Tongs of the class described, comprising a tubular shaft having longitudinal substantiallydiametrically-opposite indentations in the upper end thereof to divide the latter into two separate substantially-cylindrical restrictions; a jaw having a shank-portion arranged to engage in one of the said cylindrical restrictions; fasteningmeans. to secure said'shank in said cylindrical restriction; a second jaw-having a shank-portion rotatably mounted in said second restriction and a-reach integral with said shank-portion, said reach extending downwardly freely within said shaft to the lower end thereof; operating-means for moving said second'jiaw into and from cooperative relationship with said fixed jaw comprising; a uniformly-cylindrical sleeve rotatably mounted on the lower end of said shaft, said sleeve havinga cylindrical restriction arranged to receive the lower end .of saidreach and fastening-,means to secure the lower end of said reach in the cylindrical restriction of said sleeve; andv stop-means to hold said second jaw from moving longitudinally with respect to said shaft comprising astop-shoulder on the upper end of the said shank-portion of said rotatable jaw arranged to cooperatively engage with" the upper .1 end respectively of the said second cylindrical restriction to hold the rotatable jaw from moving downwardly in said shaft and a stop-shoulder at the upper end of the cylindrical restriction of said sleeve arranged to cooperatively engage with the lower end of said shaft to hold said sleeve from moving upwardly thereon.

3. Tongs 0f the class described, comprising a tubular shaft having longitudinal substantiallydiametrically opposite indentations in the upper end thereof to divide the latter into two separate substantially-cylindrical restrictions; a jaw coinprising an arcuate-portion having-a substantially straight terminal-portion and a shankportion, said shank-portion being arranged to engage in oneof the said cylindrical restrictions; fastening-means to secure said shank in said cylindrical restrictions; a second jaw comprising an arcuate-portion having a substantiallystraight terminal-portion and a shank-portion, said shank-portion being rotatably mounted in saidsecond restriction and provided with a reach integral therewith, said reach extending down wardlyfreely within said shaft to the lower end thereof; operating-means for moving said second jaw into and from cooperative relationship with.

said: fixed jaw'comprising a uniformly-cylindrical sleeve rotatablymounted on the lower end of said shaft, said sleeve having, a cylindrical restriction arranged to receive thelower end of said reach, J and fastening means to secure the lower end of,

5 said reach in the cylindrical restriction of said sleeve; stop-means to hold said second jaw from moving longitudinally with respect to said shaft comprising a stop-shoulder on the upper and lower ends respectively of the said shank-portion of said rotatable jaw arranged to cooperatively engage with the upper and lower ends respectively of the said second cylindrical restriction tovhold the rotatable jaw from moving downwardly in said shaft and a stop-shoulder at the upper end of the cylindrical restriction of said sleeve arranged to cooperatively engage with the lower end of said shaft to hold said sleeve from JOSEPH F. BARIBAULT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Lanham May 26, 1903 

